diff --git a/scripts/cms-sync.sh b/scripts/cms-sync.sh
index 0e36d67d..4eb5327e 100755
--- a/scripts/cms-sync.sh
+++ b/scripts/cms-sync.sh
@@ -20,13 +20,17 @@ fi
 DIRECTION="${1:-}"         # push | pull
 TARGET="${2:-}"            # testing | prod
 SSH_HOST="root@alpha.mintel.me"
-DB_USER="${PAYLOAD_DB_USER:-payload}"
-DB_NAME="${PAYLOAD_DB_NAME:-payload}"
+LOCAL_DB_USER="${PAYLOAD_DB_USER:-payload}"
+LOCAL_DB_NAME="${PAYLOAD_DB_NAME:-payload}"
 LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER="klz-2026-klz-db-1"
 LOCAL_MEDIA_DIR="./public/media"
 BACKUP_DIR="./backups"
 TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
 
+# Remote credentials (resolved per-target from server env files)
+REMOTE_DB_USER=""
+REMOTE_DB_NAME=""
+
 # Migration names to insert after restore (keeps Payload from prompting)
 MIGRATIONS=(
   "20260223_195005_products_collection:1"
@@ -42,12 +46,14 @@ resolve_target() {
       REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER="klz-testing-klz-db-1"
       REMOTE_APP_CONTAINER="klz-testing-klz-app-1"
       REMOTE_MEDIA_VOLUME="/var/lib/docker/volumes/klz-testing_klz_media_data/_data"
+      REMOTE_SITE_DIR="/home/deploy/sites/testing.klz-cables.com"
       ;;
     prod|production)
       REMOTE_PROJECT="klz-cablescom"
       REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER="klz-cablescom-klz-db-1"
       REMOTE_APP_CONTAINER="klz-cablescom-klz-app-1"
       REMOTE_MEDIA_VOLUME="/var/lib/docker/volumes/klz-cablescom_klz_media_data/_data"
+      REMOTE_SITE_DIR="/home/deploy/sites/klz-cables.com"
       ;;
     *)
       echo "❌ Unknown target: $TARGET"
@@ -55,12 +61,40 @@ resolve_target() {
       exit 1
       ;;
   esac
+
+  # Auto-detect remote DB credentials from the env file on the server
+  echo "🔍 Detecting $TARGET database credentials..."
+  REMOTE_DB_USER=$(ssh "$SSH_HOST" "grep -h '^PAYLOAD_DB_USER=' $REMOTE_SITE_DIR/.env* 2>/dev/null | tail -1 | cut -d= -f2" || echo "")
+  REMOTE_DB_NAME=$(ssh "$SSH_HOST" "grep -h '^PAYLOAD_DB_NAME=' $REMOTE_SITE_DIR/.env* 2>/dev/null | tail -1 | cut -d= -f2" || echo "")
+  REMOTE_DB_USER="${REMOTE_DB_USER:-payload}"
+  REMOTE_DB_NAME="${REMOTE_DB_NAME:-payload}"
+  echo "   User: $REMOTE_DB_USER | DB: $REMOTE_DB_NAME"
+}
+
+# ── Ensure local DB is running ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+ensure_local_db() {
+  if ! docker ps --format '{{.Names}}' | grep -q "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER"; then
+    echo "⏳ Local DB container not running. Starting..."
+    docker compose up -d klz-db
+    echo "⏳ Waiting for local DB to be ready..."
+    for i in $(seq 1 10); do
+      if docker exec "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" pg_isready -U "$LOCAL_DB_USER" -q 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "✅ Local DB is ready."
+        return
+      fi
+      sleep 1
+    done
+    echo "❌ Local DB failed to start."
+    exit 1
+  fi
 }
 
 # ── Sanitize migrations table ──────────────────────────────────────────────
 sanitize_migrations() {
   local container="$1"
-  local exec_prefix="$2"  # "" for local, "ssh $SSH_HOST" for remote
+  local db_user="$2"
+  local db_name="$3"
+  local is_remote="$4"  # "true" or "false"
 
   echo "🔧 Sanitizing payload_migrations table..."
   local SQL="DELETE FROM payload_migrations WHERE batch = -1;"
@@ -70,10 +104,10 @@ sanitize_migrations() {
     SQL="$SQL INSERT INTO payload_migrations (name, batch) SELECT '$name', $batch WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM payload_migrations WHERE name = '$name');"
   done
 
-  if [ -z "$exec_prefix" ]; then
-    docker exec "$container" psql -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" -c "$SQL"
+  if [ "$is_remote" = "true" ]; then
+    ssh "$SSH_HOST" "docker exec $container psql -U $db_user -d $db_name -c \"$SQL\""
   else
-    $exec_prefix "docker exec $container psql -U $DB_USER -d $DB_NAME -c \"$SQL\""
+    docker exec "$container" psql -U "$db_user" -d "$db_name" -c "$SQL"
   fi
 }
 
@@ -82,14 +116,14 @@ backup_local_db() {
   mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
   local file="$BACKUP_DIR/payload_pre_sync_${TIMESTAMP}.sql.gz"
   echo "📦 Creating safety backup of local DB → $file"
-  docker exec "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" pg_dump -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" --clean --if-exists | gzip > "$file"
+  docker exec "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" pg_dump -U "$LOCAL_DB_USER" -d "$LOCAL_DB_NAME" --clean --if-exists | gzip > "$file"
   echo "✅ Backup: $file ($(du -h "$file" | cut -f1))"
 }
 
 backup_remote_db() {
   local file="/tmp/payload_pre_sync_${TIMESTAMP}.sql.gz"
   echo "📦 Creating safety backup of $TARGET DB → $SSH_HOST:$file"
-  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "docker exec $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER pg_dump -U $DB_USER -d $DB_NAME --clean --if-exists | gzip > $file"
+  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "docker exec $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER pg_dump -U $REMOTE_DB_USER -d $REMOTE_DB_NAME --clean --if-exists | gzip > $file"
   echo "✅ Remote backup: $file"
 }
 
@@ -106,23 +140,26 @@ do_push() {
   echo ""
   [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]] && { echo "Cancelled."; exit 0; }
 
+  # 0. Ensure local DB is running
+  ensure_local_db
+
   # 1. Safety backup of remote
   backup_remote_db
 
   # 2. Dump local DB
   echo "📤 Dumping local database..."
   local dump="/tmp/payload_push_${TIMESTAMP}.sql.gz"
-  docker exec "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" pg_dump -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" --clean --if-exists | gzip > "$dump"
+  docker exec "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" pg_dump -U "$LOCAL_DB_USER" -d "$LOCAL_DB_NAME" --clean --if-exists | gzip > "$dump"
 
   # 3. Transfer and restore
   echo "📤 Transferring to $SSH_HOST..."
   scp "$dump" "$SSH_HOST:/tmp/payload_push.sql.gz"
   
   echo "🔄 Restoring database on $TARGET..."
-  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "gunzip -c /tmp/payload_push.sql.gz | docker exec -i $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER psql -U $DB_USER -d $DB_NAME --quiet"
+  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "gunzip -c /tmp/payload_push.sql.gz | docker exec -i $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER psql -U $REMOTE_DB_USER -d $REMOTE_DB_NAME --quiet"
 
   # 4. Sanitize migrations
-  sanitize_migrations "$REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER" "ssh $SSH_HOST"
+  sanitize_migrations "$REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER" "$REMOTE_DB_USER" "$REMOTE_DB_NAME" "true"
 
   # 5. Sync media
   echo "🖼️  Syncing media files..."
@@ -153,19 +190,22 @@ do_pull() {
   echo ""
   [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]] && { echo "Cancelled."; exit 0; }
 
+  # 0. Ensure local DB is running
+  ensure_local_db
+
   # 1. Safety backup of local
   backup_local_db
 
   # 2. Dump remote DB
   echo "📥 Dumping $TARGET database..."
-  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "docker exec $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER pg_dump -U $DB_USER -d $DB_NAME --clean --if-exists | gzip > /tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz"
+  ssh "$SSH_HOST" "docker exec $REMOTE_DB_CONTAINER pg_dump -U $REMOTE_DB_USER -d $REMOTE_DB_NAME --clean --if-exists | gzip > /tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz"
 
   # 3. Transfer and restore
   echo "📥 Downloading from $SSH_HOST..."
   scp "$SSH_HOST:/tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz" "/tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz"
   
   echo "🔄 Restoring database locally..."
-  gunzip -c "/tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz" | docker exec -i "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" psql -U "$DB_USER" -d "$DB_NAME" --quiet
+  gunzip -c "/tmp/payload_pull.sql.gz" | docker exec -i "$LOCAL_DB_CONTAINER" psql -U "$LOCAL_DB_USER" -d "$LOCAL_DB_NAME" --quiet
 
   # 4. Sync media
   echo "🖼️  Syncing media files..."